Unintended Love
by mystical
Summary: Songfic to Muse's 'Unintended Love'. Hermione's helping Ron get ready for his wedding when he starts digging up the past...


A little pre-note from me: Sorry to all my regular reviewers, I know I should be working on What If but I've been thinking about this one for ages and I just decided to write it today! Please R/R and give me an honest opinion. This turned out differently than I thought it would.it doesn't really seem like my writing actually. If you like it, please read my other stuff. If you don't like it, please read my other stuff anyway! By the way, just in case you were wondering, I don't own any Harry Potter related things; they all belong to JK Rowling and the song Unintended Love belongs to the amazing Muse. On with the story.  
  
  
  
Unintended Love  
  
"Last day of being a member of the single population then!" Hermione smiled at Ron as she lifted yet another box of table decorations. She laughed as she looked around the huge expanse that was Hogwarts Great Hall. "Do you reckon Lavender picked a big enough place to hold the reception?"  
  
Ron shook his head, moaning. "God, don't start. How can two people know so many people? It's as well Dumbledore agreed to let us use the school - we'd never fit anywhere else. She's got her entire family coming - and can I point out many of her family went on to become well established ghosts - then all of the people who were at Hogwarts with us, including Slytherin for some bizarre reason known only to her, all the professors - Jesus Hermione, she's invited Filch! With a separate sitting for Mrs Norris!"  
  
Hermione made a face. "Now that's extreme. But hey, it's her wedding day; she wants to make it memorable."  
  
"It'll be memorable alright - gate-crashed by Draco and friends." He mumbled, sitting down on a box labelled fragile. Hermione cringed - that was the candelabra inside.  
  
"Cheer up Ron - you knew she was, um, elaborate when you first started going out with her in seventh year." Hermione pointed out.  
  
"Well you know the reason I went out with her anyway." Ron muttered.  
  
"Because you'd crushed on her for years, like you'd said."  
  
Ron blushed slightly. "If you remember correctly, I started going out with her right after you dumped me."  
  
She laughed. "Oh God, I remember that. We went out for sixth months.I even thought I was in love at the time." She smiled lightly. "That must have been about six years ago."  
  
"Five and a half." Ron said to his shoes. There was a tense silence between them.  
  
"Still," Hermione said, getting up to lift another box. "It's in the past. We're better off as friends."  
  
"Yeah." He agreed, helping her with the box. Her eyes flashed up as he brushed her hand reaching for it. He caught her eye for a second then he looked away, going for another box.  
  
"So where do you want these?" she asked. He looked around at the box she was holding.  
  
"Dear God she actually bought those." He whispered.  
  
"What are they?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Singing Flowers for the guests in their rooms." He moaned. She laughed nervously, mouthing 'Ok'. "Throw them up in the Gryffindor dorms."  
  
"Are you joking?" She shrieked. "You want me to carry all these boxes to different house's dorms? Have you forgotten how far that is?"  
  
He smiled teasingly at her. "You can do it." She gave him a warning glance. "Fine, fine - I'll help you."  
  
They each lifted one of the (very heavy) boxes and set up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room where they'd spent so much of their adolescent life. Ron glanced a portrait of the ex Head Boy and Girl; himself and Hermione. The painted versions of each other were smiling at each other, messing around like they always had when they were going out. I thought we'd always be together he thought sadly.  
  
  
  
You could be my unintended choice To live my life extended You could be the one I'll always love  
  
"We used to tell each other everything." He said quietly.  
  
"What?" She called from in front of him.  
  
Ron bit his tongue. Damn it, Ron, shut up.  
  
"I was just saying," he started. "How we used to talk about everything."  
  
"We're best friends Ron. We still do." She said, stopping and facing him.  
  
Not like we used to, though. Not in the way I mean.  
  
  
  
You could be the one who listens To my deepest inquisitions You could be the one I'll always love  
  
He smiled and nodded for her to go on. They walked on up the stairs and into the common room - empty due to the summer holidays.  
  
I'll be there as soon as I can But I'm busy mending broken Pieces of the life I had before  
  
"Girls or boys?" she asked, indicating to the separate staircases.  
  
"Whichever." He answered. She instinctively walked up the familiar steps to the girls' rooms. She pushed open the door and put the box on her old bed, flopping down on the mattress. She smiled at Ron and nodded over to the bed that used to belong to Lavender.  
  
"Bet that bed holds a lot of memories for you." A small smile attempted to tug at his lips. He glanced at the bed Hermione was leaning back on. Not as much as that bed does.  
  
First there was the one who challenged All my dreams and all my balance She could never be as good as you  
  
He walked over to the huge window. After a few minutes she followed him over, leaning against the wall.  
  
"What's up?" she asked. "Last minute nerves?"  
  
He ignored her question and continued to stare out of the window.  
  
"Do you remember what happened here?" he whispered after a few minutes. Her silence told him she did. "We had our first kiss right here. We'd had an argument over something or other. You came up here and I found you crying beside the window. I think it was right then all my thoughts were confirmed and knew I loved you."  
  
She turned to look out the window. She nodded over to a spot just beyond the Quidditch pitch.  
  
"We were going to build a house there." She said. "You were going to be the Quidditch instructor at Hogwarts and play for the Cannons at weekends. I was going to be a writer and Headmistress of Hogwarts." She smiled and leant her head on the windowpane. "We'd even picked out names for our children; Harry and Molly. We were going to be so happy - a dog, a cat and 2.5 children."  
  
They were silent as they both thought for a few minutes, thought about the life they would have had.  
  
"Funny how things never turn out the way you thought they would." She said.  
  
"There's no rule saying they couldn't." He responded, holding her hand.  
  
  
  
You could be my unintended choice To live my life extended You should be the one I'll always love  
  
Hermione looked round at the man she'd loved throughout her schoolgirl days. If she was honest, a part of her always had loved him. And always would.  
  
"You're marrying Lavender tomorrow." She said.  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
"She loves you."  
  
"What if I love you?"  
  
Hermione held his gaze for a few minutes then looked away. I can't do this she thought I can't go through it all again.  
  
"Hermione.when did you stop loving me?" He asked her.  
  
She looked out the window again. The window of their would-be future.  
  
"I didn't." She whispered.  
  
"I have to go.I'm sorry."  
  
Ron looked up at her and nodded, knowing what she meant.  
  
"I understand.thanks for helping with all this stuff today.you're a real friend Hermione."  
  
She smiled weakly. "Anytime - well, you know what I mean. Any other time." She laughed hollowly. "You only get married the once."  
  
"Apparently so." He answered. She nodded slowly.  
  
"Bye Ron. Have a happily married life." She turned and left the dorm, a tear rolling down her cheek.  
  
Ron sat down on her bed. He looked down at the quilt and picked up a long, wavy brown hair. Hermione's he thought miserably as he wound it round his fingers. He knew he should probably leave now - he'd told Lavender he would meet her.  
  
Lavender.  
  
Not Hermione.  
  
I'll be there as soon as I can But I'm busy mending broken Pieces of the life I had before  
  
It would only be Lavender now. Lavender. never Hermione.  
  
Never Hermione again.  
  
Before you. 


End file.
